Faeces

Faeces or feces (American English) are the solid or semisolid remains of the food that could not be digested in the small intestine. Bacteria in the large intestine further break down the material. Feces contain a relatively small amount of metabolic waste products such as bacterially altered bilirubin, and the dead epithelial cells from the lining of the gut.

Formation

The process of producing feces is called defecation. This process requires pressures that exceed atmospheric levels, which can be achieved by the Valsalva maneuver.

Characteristics

Feces are discharged through the anus during defecation. They have a pungent odor, usually due to bacterial action on bilirubin, which produces a number of breakdown products, including stercobilin, which gives feces a brown color.

Health aspects

The appearance of human feces can be an indicator of a person's health. For example, steatorrhea is a form of feces that is oily and floats, and it can suggest that fat absorption is not taking place in the body, which can be a symptom of diseases such as pancreatitis or celiac disease.

See also

• Bristol stool scale
• Human feces
• Fecal microbiota transplant

References

Faeces Resources
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